into the chair beside him. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on—or not?”
Ginger shook her head unhappily.
“Fine, then I’ll sit here until someone does.”
*****
Cera’s pride forced her to be still until she heard Jake go downstairs, but then her heart took over and the tears came in slow choking sobs. The mirror above her dresser showed the damage, reflecting puffy red eyes.
She shouldn’t have given that soldier the time of day. Look where it got her, hiding in her bedroom when there was work to be done. She was a successful saloon owner in the roughest part of San Francisco, for God’s sake, not some lovesick ninny. With one last disgusted sigh, she left her room.
As she descended the stairs, she scanned the crowd. Jake sat in the corner again, hat pulled low and a full glass of whiskey before him. She knew he saw her, but she refused to acknowledge him.
She walked into the kitchen, startling Hu and Li, who were speaking their language in hushed tones while they cut vegetables. At the back sink, Sadie worked on a stack of dirty dishes. “If you all have a minute, I’ll find Isaac and we can talk before the supper rush.” As she turned to leave, the kitchen door opened and Isaac walked in with the girls trailing after him.
“Cera, I need to talk to you,” Ginger began. “Jake and I weren’t…”
Unwilling to re-live the humiliation she felt upstairs, Cera shook her head at Ginger. “Not now. There are more important things to discuss. Li, what happened today when you talked to the Chinese families that Hu told you about?”
Setting down his knife, Li replied, “They all say same story. Daughters go out in evening, not come back. No one see again. If anyone see girls get take away, they no say. They no want police.”
“Damn!” Cera hit the worktable with her fist. “So we still have no proof and no witnesses. How am I going to stop these kidnappings?”
“Maybe it isn’t up to you to stop,” Isaac suggested. “Let’s go to the authorities with what we know. Let them sort it out.”
“And which authorities would you suggest I go to? Officer Klein? From what I saw the other night, it looks like he’s in cahoots with Biggs. No, I need solid proof that can’t be ignored and I need to find someone who will do something about it.”
Isaac shook his head at her in frustration. “Biggs is a dangerous man, Cera. Is this worth risking our lives over?”
“Yes, Isaac, it is. When I think of those poor Chinese girls forced into slavery and the people Biggs murdered, I can’t sit idly by. Biggs and his men have ruined enough lives. Someone has to stop him!”
“Yes, but it doesn’t have to be you. You’re…”
“What? A woman? Too weak to stop him? I may not be stronger than Biggs, but I bet I’m smarter.”
“All right, all right.” Isaac nodded, giving in. “What do you want to do?”
Cera pursed her lips. “Let me think on it. For now, we have customers waiting.”
******
Throughout the evening, Cera worked hard at ignoring Jake, while he sat at the same table, with the same full glass of whiskey. Ginger jumped whenever she came near, making her feel almost sorry for the girl—but not sorry enough to forgive her just yet. Tonight, she’d pull the bedcovers over her head and pity herself for a while longer. Come tomorrow, she’d be fine, but for now, customers needed their drinks.
A few hours before closing, Cera came out of the kitchen with a tray of clean glasses. Across the room, Biggs and his personal guards, Quinn and Lewis, stood at one of the Faro tables. Stunned, she leaned against the bar until her heart slowed to its normal rhythm. Even then, the glasses clinked together as she fought her trembling hands while putting them away.
Taking a deep breath, she approached the gamblers. “Good evening gentlemen, to what do I owe this honor? Mr. Biggs, it’s been quite some time since you gambled in my humble saloon.”
“Oh, there you are, Miss
Ginger shook her head unhappily.
“Fine, then I’ll sit here until someone does.”
*****
Cera’s pride forced her to be still until she heard Jake go downstairs, but then her heart took over and the tears came in slow choking sobs. The mirror above her dresser showed the damage, reflecting puffy red eyes.
She shouldn’t have given that soldier the time of day. Look where it got her, hiding in her bedroom when there was work to be done. She was a successful saloon owner in the roughest part of San Francisco, for God’s sake, not some lovesick ninny. With one last disgusted sigh, she left her room.
As she descended the stairs, she scanned the crowd. Jake sat in the corner again, hat pulled low and a full glass of whiskey before him. She knew he saw her, but she refused to acknowledge him.
She walked into the kitchen, startling Hu and Li, who were speaking their language in hushed tones while they cut vegetables. At the back sink, Sadie worked on a stack of dirty dishes. “If you all have a minute, I’ll find Isaac and we can talk before the supper rush.” As she turned to leave, the kitchen door opened and Isaac walked in with the girls trailing after him.
“Cera, I need to talk to you,” Ginger began. “Jake and I weren’t…”
Unwilling to re-live the humiliation she felt upstairs, Cera shook her head at Ginger. “Not now. There are more important things to discuss. Li, what happened today when you talked to the Chinese families that Hu told you about?”
Setting down his knife, Li replied, “They all say same story. Daughters go out in evening, not come back. No one see again. If anyone see girls get take away, they no say. They no want police.”
“Damn!” Cera hit the worktable with her fist. “So we still have no proof and no witnesses. How am I going to stop these kidnappings?”
“Maybe it isn’t up to you to stop,” Isaac suggested. “Let’s go to the authorities with what we know. Let them sort it out.”
“And which authorities would you suggest I go to? Officer Klein? From what I saw the other night, it looks like he’s in cahoots with Biggs. No, I need solid proof that can’t be ignored and I need to find someone who will do something about it.”
Isaac shook his head at her in frustration. “Biggs is a dangerous man, Cera. Is this worth risking our lives over?”
“Yes, Isaac, it is. When I think of those poor Chinese girls forced into slavery and the people Biggs murdered, I can’t sit idly by. Biggs and his men have ruined enough lives. Someone has to stop him!”
“Yes, but it doesn’t have to be you. You’re…”
“What? A woman? Too weak to stop him? I may not be stronger than Biggs, but I bet I’m smarter.”
“All right, all right.” Isaac nodded, giving in. “What do you want to do?”
Cera pursed her lips. “Let me think on it. For now, we have customers waiting.”
******
Throughout the evening, Cera worked hard at ignoring Jake, while he sat at the same table, with the same full glass of whiskey. Ginger jumped whenever she came near, making her feel almost sorry for the girl—but not sorry enough to forgive her just yet. Tonight, she’d pull the bedcovers over her head and pity herself for a while longer. Come tomorrow, she’d be fine, but for now, customers needed their drinks.
A few hours before closing, Cera came out of the kitchen with a tray of clean glasses. Across the room, Biggs and his personal guards, Quinn and Lewis, stood at one of the Faro tables. Stunned, she leaned against the bar until her heart slowed to its normal rhythm. Even then, the glasses clinked together as she fought her trembling hands while putting them away.
Taking a deep breath, she approached the gamblers. “Good evening gentlemen, to what do I owe this honor? Mr. Biggs, it’s been quite some time since you gambled in my humble saloon.”
“Oh, there you are, Miss
Similar Books
